CPP: No holiday ceasefire with gov't forces this year

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), will not declare a holiday truce with the government this year.

In a statement on Tuesday, the CPP said it would be unable to make ceasefire declaration because of alleged continued attacks of government forces, which it said trample upon political and civil rights as well as international humanitarian law.

"In anticipation of the holidays and the upcoming 56th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines, units of the NPA and local peasant mass organizations in the countryside are busy preparing meetings and small assemblies in order to celebrate past victories, take stock of weaknesses and strengths, and reaffirm their resolve to wage greater struggles in the coming year," the statement read.

The CPP will mark its 56th anniversary on December 26.

It also dismissed the government's claim that the New People's Army has "only one weakened" guerrilla front, calling it "disinformation."

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) provided an update on the CPP-NPA's alleged diminished strength earlier this month.

NTF-ELCAC Secretariat Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said there were 89 active guerilla fronts when the task force was established in December 2018. Now, he noted that there are no more active guerilla fronts.

Earlier today, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla said the only remaining "weakened" NPA guerilla front can no longer stage any major operations in the country.
However, the CPP asserted that, "To boost its public image, the AFP has intensified its war of disinformation by making the ludicrous claim that the New People's Army has only 'one weakened' guerrilla front."

The AFP has also yet to announce if it will implement a suspension of military operations (SOMO) against the NPA during the holiday season.

GMA News Online has requested comment from the AFP regarding the CPP's statements, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. — VDV, GMA Integrated News